View on the Ground

tomterm8

Generali wrote: »

As many of you will be aware, I no longer live in the UK having moved to Australia (mostly on the basis that if you have to be broke it may as well be in the sun)...........

Anyway, what does a 5% fall in GDP feel like to you? Loads of mates losing their jobs and overtime taking a dive or just a storm in a newspaper shaped tecup?

It's not affected me personally, but... well, it was bleak in Q1. Most of the people I know were afraid of losing their jobs... it is a little better now.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

So long as Gary the !!!! who works as an IT Manager in the Automotive supplier business loses his job I am a happy man..

After all it was all supposed to be over by March 2009 & I was talking bollox wasnt I?

Because he has a mate who is an economist who he has known for 30yrs & I know nothing.


:rotfl::rotfl:

Mr_Matey

Generali wrote: »

As many of you will be aware, I no longer live in the UK having moved to Australia (mostly on the basis that if you have to be broke it may as well be in the sun)...........

Anyway, what does a 5% fall in GDP feel like to you? Loads of mates losing their jobs and overtime taking a dive or just a storm in a newspaper shaped tecup?

My workplace is cutting back on expenses. So less client functions and training.

Apart from that, it hasn't affected me. In fact things haven't been better. My partner got her first job recently and the shops have lots of bargains.
:beer:

None of my UK friends have been affected, but a few Aus friends who were thinking of moving to the UK have changed plans as they work in banking.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Oh Sorry. I didnt answer the question.

Out of 30ish occassional client case ALL are either making redundancies, made redundancies, planning redundancies or a recruitment freeze is on.

Not bad for someone in recruitment....

Also my list of 60 clients I wanted to do business with prior to christmas only 2 of them are expanding due to the copious sums of money our illustrious Government is chucking down the pan.

As for Gordons 100,000 jobs for youngsters... lol

Whats that 1 in 10 get a job or there abouts??

The man is nuts.

lostinrates

A considerable number of friends have lost jobs (City finance/corporate law), a few are in this years qualification batch nd some of those are sweating. a friend in ''provincial'' law firm has really struggled to find somewhere to go to: has had to move into an area of law she didn't want to work in, but hey, its a job!

More than one friend from the City have now decided to jack it all in and go travelling...we're at that age it probably really is the last chance before a very late growing up (or entering early middle age!).

People in acedeamia are struggling: a very close chum can't find a placement ANYwhere, another family member just getting doctorate is struggling too.

Family member in high end retail is still happy. Summer sales coincide well with religious calendar, takings are holding up with overseas money despite the pound's rally. That said, I do also know that the same person was making people redundant a few months ago, so while they smile now I remember that those smiles have not been present throughout. I suspect a lot of those redundancies were ''timed'' a less litigious time to make people redundant due to ''economic pressure''.

Ironically, friends in the Arts all seem more positive than the ''sensible'' chums. Which is really interesting: the group of corporate friends who usually ''do'' the festivals as ''customers'' has diminished significantly.

breadlinebetty

StevieJ wrote: »

It is still raining and we are supposedly experiencing a heatwave Like the tropics here.

It's been baking hot and brilliant blue skies and sunshine down here all week, and is still beautiful today. You should move down to the south - we have the best weather down here. Up in places like Manchester (rainy city) Newcastle, Scotland etc they have more rainfall and grey gloomy skies than anywhere in the UK.

Graham_Devon

Degenerate wrote: »

Thanks to the interest rate cuts, I've never been richer. Most of my work colleagues feel the same. I don't know anyone in trouble.

Then again, I live in an affluent home-counties town and have a very safe full-time job working for an essential utility, as well as a part-time sideline as a company director. YMMV.

Have to say I agree. And most of the people I work with also feel richer than they did a year ago. And moste probably actually are. Most of them with mortgages, so I'd assume tracker from what they have said.

Ones just bought an 6k car with the money they have saved in six months. So they say anyway, thats one hell of a saving on the mortgage, but their house was £280k and they have 100% mortgage on it so guess it could be about right.

They have never owned a car as "good" as this one.

On the flip side, I know (as I know them quite well) this family has other debts, so haven't actually used the money saved to pay anything down, just bought a new car. Swings and roundabouts, I guess they are enjoying it while they can.

amcluesent

> what does a 5% fall in GDP feel like to you?<

My unit has just let go 5 IT contractors. some of whom have been knocking about for years.

The salaries for 'safe' (public sector) IT jobs are way, way down. £40K for experienced architects in central London!

The high-street is bombed-out, the last hi-fi store in my town is closing down. Even the regional 'destination' shopping centre has loads of boarded-up unit, they've yet to find anyone for the Adam kiddies-ware shop after that went bust months back.

EEs have set-up tent-cities in the woods around town. Down and outs are living in the undergrowth around the rail station.

My estate is on the slide. Chavs, coloureds and EE renters moving in, crime/graffiti, fly-tipping, yoofs causing bother, local pub is boarded-up.

TBH England is looking fly-blown and increasingly derelict. Nothing of quality gets done, as anyone with some skill and initiative has fled.

Really2

OK i have some for you.

My sisters job is looking dicey she as avoided all cuts so far.

the company where my dad works went in to administration and was sold he retained job.

My bro is an EA and as said it was close but as now survived and things are looking up.

My company is looking at equaling last years turnover (shame as we were 20% up the start of the year).

So not to bad for us i know some people who have been close but all have survived so far.

Conrad

I live in a prosperous S/E area and seem to be the only person where I live that has had reducing income!

Neighbours are enjoying much lower mortgages and are mainly high earners, so life for them seems to be rosy indeed.